11/17/05-Diarios Rumbo-America USA Has Wings....

[chapulincolorado]

....for flying away.

From Diarios Rumbo (http://www.diariosrumbo.com/rumbo/articulo.asp?idart=299709&idcat=808) this morning 11/17/05:

(quoting Garber)"Hay un interés enorme por parte de inversionistas en esta ciudad para traer la franquicia de San José, no podemos decir de quién se trata, pero sí puedo decir que son negociaciones serias", agrego

"There is great interest from investors in this city to bring San Jose's franchise, we cannot say who it is, but I can do say that negotiations are serious.

[...]

Respecto a las discusiones pasadas con gente del América, el comisionado compartió que "no le estamos cerrando la puerta, tiene un nombre de peso y una empresa como Televisa que lo respalda, pero por el momento no hay nada".

Regarding past discussions with the people from America, the comissioner let us know that "we are not closing the door, they have a name with weight and a company like Televisa that backs it up, but at the moment there is nothing going on."


[quote](quoting unnamed sources in Televisa)Y mientras eso sucedía aquí, en la Ciudad de México, una fuente de Televisa que pidió no ser identificada, le dijo al diario RÉCORD que la negociación de la MLS con Univisión para la transmisión de sus partidos es lo que está complicando la llegada del América USA.

La fuente confió que el América está listo en los rubros deportivo y comercial para entrar a EU la siguiente temporada, mas no así en lo administrativo. También dijo que el Astrodome sería la sede del equipo azulcrema, que las negociaciones con los dueños del equipo de San José "están avanzadas" y que hoy habrá una reunión clave en Televisa.

And while this was occurring here, in Mexico City, a source from Televisa that asked to not be identified, told Diario RECORD that the negotiation between MLS with Univision for the transmission of the games is what is complicating the arrival of America USA.

The source confided that America is ready in the sports and commercial arena to come into the US the next season, but may be not in the administrative. The source also said that the Astrodome would be field for the yellowblue team, that the negotiatios with San Jose team owners are "very well ahead" and that today there would be a key meeting in Televisa.




On another part of the article, Garber is quoted as saying that in two weeks a lot can happen, negotiations are going fast, are speaking with UH to use Rice Stadiums, and are speaking with HISD and Cy Fair for constructing a stadium to be shared.

....the saga continues....

[fireman451]

Thanks for the update, en espanol y ingles tambien amigo.

I think UH's Robertson Stadium would be a great place to play in the interim. After that, the Cy-Fair stadium and Rice Stadium would be my second choice. Of course, I like th eUH idea as an alumni. BUT, since I don't live there anymore I guess any stadium is fine as long a SSS is built in the near future. I hope if Houston does get a team they have a SSS similar to the one we're getting up here in Bridgeview.

Man, I cannot wait until we play in Bridgeview. I've been a season ticket holder for 5 seasons and this will be our 3rd and FINAL stadium.

[chapulincolorado]

BUT, since I don't live there anymore I guess any stadium is fine as long a SSS is built in the near future. I hope if Houston does get a team they have a SSS similar to the one we're getting up here in Bridgeview.

And that's a key piece that Houston needs and Garber is quoted on:

Garber said the Earthquakes won't relocate to Houston unless the league is assured that plans for a new stadium are in the works.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=349337&cc=5901

[anderson]

Thanks.

The bit at the end about a key meeting at Televisa today is interesting. It would be nice if Televisa came out with a more definitive statement about expansion or TV rights or so forth, but a lot of things would be nice, wouldn't they?

Also, as for the long-term venue, Oliver Luck mentioned in his interview at half-time of last night's broadcast of the Mexico x Bulgaria game that AEG's discussions with HISD about Delmar (http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6729428&postcount=20) have progressed well. As always, make of that what you will.

[Atom'sDad]

This morning I had co-workers telling me that they seen on the news that Houston was getting an MLS team. These people don't even follow soccer or know anything about it, but they knew I did. I was on a plane back to Houston last night so I did not see any news. They say they saw it on TV news anyone else see this?

[anderson]

This morning I had co-workers telling me that they seen on the news that Houston was getting an MLS team. These people don't even follow soccer or know anything about it, but they knew I did. I was on a plane back to Houston last night so I did not see any news. They say they saw it on TV news anyone else see this?I was at the game last night, but I've been told that Channel 13 had a segment interviewing Don Garber and also talking about the various stadium options.

[megapolemico]

Enfrenta conflictos de transmisión

Por el acuerdo de la MLS con Univisión, se estanca proyecto América USA que está listo en aspectos deportivo y comercial

Por RENÉ TOVAR R. MÉXICO, D.F. (Récord) -- La firma de la Mayor Soccer League (MLS) con la cadena estadounidense Univisión, para la transmisión de sus partidos, complica la llegada del América USA la siguiente temporada.

Una fuente allegada a las negociaciones aseguró a RÉCORD, que la decisión de los dirigentes de la MLS pone difíciles las cosas para que las Águilas hagan su arribo, debido al problema contractual entre ambas televisoras.

<IMG SRC=http://adsintl.starwave.com/image.ng/Params.richmedia=yes&site=espndeportes&adsize=300x250&sec=futbol&transactionID=9262688264017336000> ("")

Nuestra fuente nos confió que el Club América está listo en los rubros deportivo y comercial para entrar la siguiente temporada, mas no así en lo administrativo, en virtud del reciente convenio de la Liga estadounidense con la televisora.

También reveló que uno de los factores que ya están casi arreglados es el escenario, el cual sería el Astrodome, de Houston, sede del equipo azulcrema en caso de salvar los últimos escollos.

"La gente encargada de las negociaciones tenía que ver qué estadio sería la sede. Sé que América prefirió el Astrodome, por encima del de la Universidad de Houston", aseveró nuestra fuente.

De igual forma confirmó que el San José Earthquakes es el equipo que se trasladaría a Houston, pues las negociaciones"están avanzadas".

Señaló que hoy sería un día clave, pues altos dirigentes de Televisa se reunirán, para acordar si se concreta la negociación, pero sobre todo, si hay un arreglo entre la cúpula dirigencial de Televisa y Univisión.

Lo que es un hecho es que América ya tiene planes, incluso de contratación de jugadores y entrenador (se habla de Alfredo Tena, Carlos Reinoso y Antonio Carlos Santos), por si dan luz verde al ambicioso proyecto que aún encabeza Javier Pérez Teuffer, ex presidente americanista.

[Rahbiefowlah]

Thanks for the translation. I swear to god I'll learn spanish before i die.

anyway, this gringo is completely confused about televisa-univision-america and it's continuing/non-existent negotiations. everything i know about business negotiations and posturing i've learned from the expansion boards, but this is well beyond me.

i feel like a seventh grade dating liason, trying to figure out if my friend is trying to hook up with a three-headed girl by talking to her friends. except they're talking in spanish.

another aside, the isolation between english and spanish soccer media in this country is astounding.

[chapulincolorado]

Enfrenta conflictos de transmisión

Por el acuerdo de la MLS con Univisión, se estanca proyecto América USA que está listo en aspectos deportivo y comercial


Well. From previous interviews, we knew that the TV rights were the sticking point in the negotiations. But. IIRC, there was also brewing a big fight between Univision and Televisa about programing. So. Now it seems the big dispute is not between Televisa and MLS, but Televisa and Univision! Mmmmmmm.... :confused:

[JJ Mindset]

Wait a minute! Are we talking about two teams instead of one? :confused:

[anderson]

Wait a minute! Are we talking about two teams instead of one? :confused: NO, just possibly one. Televisa has had discussions about acquiring a team by either purchasing the San Jose franchise from AEG and relocating it to Houston or obtaining an expansion team from MLS to play in Houston.

The Televisa talks with MLS have stalled over a disagreement about the distribution of television rights. Televisa wants to control television rights for a team in MLS that operates with its America brand, which is inconsistent with how MLS wants to handle those sorts of rights. We're not likely to see a Televisa investment in MLS until the parties resolve this impasse.

Televisa and Univision, in which Televisa owns an equity stake, are also currently involved in a legal dispute over royalties that's really just a hardball tactic in a larger dispute over future control of Univision. That larger fight - over who will control Univision after its current head retires in what everyone anticipates to be the near future - has been brewing for some time. But the net short-term result is that Univision's anticipated deal with MLS further complicates Televisa's already stalled dealings with MLS.

Separately, AEG is considering whether to sell to an investor in San Jose or relocate to Houston. Neither outcome would involve Televisa. As things stand, Televisa will have no role in AEG's decision and there would be no team with the America brand in MLS regardless of what AEG decides.

All that being said, Leiwecke noted that a branding deal with a Mexican club would be welcomed in the event that AEG relocates to Houston. He just added that America isn't in the mix right now. A branding deal with Tigres or Rayados, for example, could be useful in this particular market. Then again, Leiwecke says all sorts of things all the time, so, you know, take it for what you will.

[chapulincolorado]

All that being said, Leiwecke noted that a branding deal with a Mexican club would be welcomed in the event that AEG relocates to Houston. He just added that America isn't in the mix right now. A branding deal with Tigres or Rayados, for example, could be useful in this particular market. Then again, Leiwecke says all sorts of things all the time, so, you know, take it for what you will.

When San Antonio ex-Mayo Garzar went on his quixotic search for an MLS investor in FMF, one of the teams he approached was Tigres UANL. IIRC, even Hunt went with Garza to talk to Tigres. Now Tigres UANL is owned by Sinergia Deportiva S. A. de C. V. who in turn are owned by CEMEX (cement industry) (http://www.cemex.com/index.asp). They are a deep pocket company. They have four teams on different divisions of the FMF. They have about 20 academies in Mexico. Tigres has expanded their outreach into Texas. They have four Tigres academias in the US: Corpus Christi, McAllen, Dallas, and....Houston. Now. I am not sure what the base of Tigres in Houston, but in my region, a Tigres team would get heavy support in the region. With Monterrey, Mexico about 2 hours away from us, anytime there is a friendly in the Valley, 2/3 of those present at games are Tigres. Of course. I don't know where those talks between Tigres and ex-Mayor Garza went.